Additional information
by Julianna Blankenship (Author), Deanna Dionne (Illustrator)
"Sally Lumpkin's Party" originally started as a small poem to cheer Sally up after a hard day at school. However, I just didn't stop writing and, before I knew it, the book was penned in full. The characters are based on my roommates in college- Rebekah, Allison, Sally, Amy & Michelle. It's what I imagine it would be like had we grown up in the same neighborhood. I wanted to capture the fun and anticipation of six good friends attending a birthday party for one of their own. The characters reflect their namesake's nuances- like Bekah's loud voice, Allison's freckles, Sally's love of daisies & Michelle and Amy's fun curly hair and boisterous personalities. The six of us met at Rochester College in Rochester Hills, MI and became fast friends, studying, living and working together. These days, it's rare for us all to be in the same state at the same time! Careers, education, travel & husbands have taken us all in different directions. Through it all, we've remained good friends, attended each others weddings, cheered at graduations, celebrated the successes & comforted during hard times. We are friends that have truly become sisters and we can't wait to celebrate Sally's next birthday.
